Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-05-07

A BOLD, BAD BEEAK.

An Express Train Stopped Near Tucson
Arizona and the Express Messenger
Forced 70 Open the Safe OK Join the
Angels by the Dynamite Route.
SAN FRAEmsCo, April 28.-One Of the
most audaeiOus, desperate and successful
train robberiea that was ever recorded oc-
Cured yesterday on the west bound over
land train on the Southern Pacific railroad
near Tucson, Arizona. A special dispatch
to the Evening Bulletin this evening from
Tucson gives details as follows:
The western bound express due here at
1880 last sV ening was stopped and robbed
1t PapagO station eighteen miles east Of
here about $50 o. slOCk last evening. The
number Of men engaged in the robbery is
VariOusly estimated from uVs to eight.
prOaching PapagO, a side station, was sig
nailed by a red lantern to stop. He showed
down. and as h5 approached the Light he
noticed distractions on the track so placed
would spread the track and deraii itself.
Immediately on stopping dozen or more
shots were fired into the express car
and a man with a pistol in each hand
boarded the locomotive and commanded
Harper not to get down. The other robbers
had in the meantime been prYing open the
express car, and falling to get it open they
placed a stick OF giant powder under It and
compelled the fireman to lghs the fuse
attached This he was obliged
to do, but to avoid being blown up the mes
5enger opened the car and the robbers took
possession. After eLtinguishing the fuse
they took charge Of the car, unCOupled the
engine, baggage and express cars from the
remainder Of the train and made Harper get
on the engine and pull ahead two lengths.
This being done Harper was
again put OF and the robbers took charge Of
the engine and pulled six miles toward Tue
son Here they killed the engine and left 1t.
During tbs run the robbers went through
the mail and express, but did not get more
than 5000. They got two packages Of rail
road money one sack or @I5zLU
and one of 800, and also two packages Of
postage stamps going to the pOstoMce at
San Francisco. 1t IS reported that the mes
sengef threw S5,5yO IN gold into stove and
so saved IL from the robbers. Nothing was
krOWn here OF the affair until past mid
night, when a telegram was received from
POntanO, brakeman having walked back
eight miles to that place. A special was
sent down and the train brought in at
O'Clock this morning. None Of the passen-
gers were molested. Some Of them knew
nothing of the trouble until after their arrival
here. Under Sheriff Shiebeu was at the
scene Of trouble bat could discover nothing
that would lead to the identity of the rob-
bers. Ten trailsrs under Deputy Sheriff NJ.
Z. Shaw have left for the scene Of the
trouble. The robbers are believed
to be DISCHARGED railroad en-
ployes, although they compelled Engineer
Harper to show them how to handle the
locomotive 1t is believed by their actions
in handling the train they were familiar with
such work. The company has offered
reward OF 81, COO each for the arrest and con-
VictiOn of the robbers, which is in addition
to a like reward offered By the Wells Fargo
express.
Additional facts were received in dispatches
to Wells, Fargo & Co. They were to the ef-
feet that ths train was held up three miles
east of PapagO, in a cut. The mail was
robbed as we'll as the express. No one
was injured by the shooting. When the news
was carried back TO PsntanO concerning the
robbery United States Marshal Mead, with
a deputy and two deputy sherihs and two
others, started after the train. The loComO-
tive and cars were found at the Whistling
post about one mile west of Pa
pango. The engine Was dead" The
headlight Was put out and
air brakes on. There was no trace Of the
robbers. Marshal Mead sent for troops to
Fort Lowell and thirty-fve soldiers left
there at five O'Clock this morning to scour
the country. Officer Harris was expected to
arrive soon and another party with Indian
trailers Is expected to arrive from Yuma to
hunt for the robbers.